The 42-year-old told The AP: "In my 37 years in show business I've yet to win an award. So yes, we had a little jump up and down at home, cracked open another bottle.

"It's always nice to know that what you're doing is actually being watched and appreciated by people. Especially when audience figures aren't so big. And in England, we were on over the summer holidays, so I wasn't ever sure if anyone saw it."

Best known for playing Jimmy McNulty in The Wire, the star added that the cast of his former show would turn up for any awards ceremony.

"No-one would turn up from The Sopranos because they were bored of awards, and no-one would turn up from West Wing or whatever because they were bored," West said.

"But the whole of The Wire would turn up. We never got nominated for anything but we'd always have a good time."